I said lunch would be served at 4 pm and everything was on the table at 3:45. And it was all still warm.

I had a moment of panic when after a mere two hours in the oven (half an hour at 200ºC and the rest at 140ºC) I inserted an instant read thermometer into the thigh and got a reading of 85ºC. I had been aiming for 75ºC which is the optimum temperature for perfectly cooked poultry (70ºC is even better if you can manage it). I put the turkey in corner of the kitchen, covered it loosely with tin foil and it was still warm and wonderfully moist when we carved into it and hour and a half later.

The carrots and the brussel sprouts were both stove top recipes. I had made and frozen the two cranberry sauces and the bread sauce. The Linzer Tart had been baked off that morning and the Chocolate & Pear Clafoutis went in the oven while we were unwrapping the presents.

My guests were happy and sated.

I under-performed with gifts. My ineptitude was made even more glaring because my in-laws are so good at giving gifts (even when we set a budget of €25).

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About The Blog

Hello! My name is Suzy. This blog is about discovering Berlin through its eateries. I take it one restaurant or shop at a time and post on the blog once a week. I vary where I eat to have a have a mix of high and low end places. My goal is to find the special places, the ones worth seeking out and show and tell you all about them. Read more...